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Friday, February 24, 2017

Snowy Day - video experiment

I recorded a video using an idea from Andy Othling (https://youtu.be/6AlDbN1PaO8). This is a simple C Major arpeggio, upon which I layered a couple of other sounds. I'm still working on being quicker to set up the next sound and get the next layer recorded without a lot of wasted time between tracks. So, besides just general improvement, my goals on this piece are:

Keep it short: under 5 minutes. Less, if possible

Come up with an interesting motif (melody) in the middle section. Don't just noodle around aimlessly.

Don't throw the kitchen sink at it; just a few layers and let it settle.

Edit the video, at least a little.

All my videos are posted under ♪ WHISPERS ♪, off in the right column.

It's about 6 minutes, so I guess I missed that objective. The other objectives I feel OK about. What I am aware of is how exactly rehearsed I need to have the performance in my head, before I start. There's no time to think about the pedal settings during the piece; I must know the next sound I want and quickly set it. Sure would be nice to have all the effects in some sort of "pre-set" machine. I know there are multi-effects pedals out there, but I suspect the sound quality of each effect is not up to the world-class for that particular effect. For instance, I love my Strymon Dig; the delay sounds it produces are awesome. I doubt that any multi-effects pedal will match that. So I practiced the setup of each of the 3 different tracks until I could do it without thinking. That came out pretty good.
I also realize that creating a piece over a single chord offers less of a landscape upon which to build a song, as opposed to a song where there are actual chord changes going by.